Butterflies and Bears

My job often involves going into the local schools to take pictures of cute kids doing really fun things. Yesterday I had the privilege of accompanying the Hilbert kindergarten class as the released their Painted Lady Butterflies. I had so much fun and by the time I left, my cheeks actually hurt from laughing so much! I love children at this age because they are so talkative and come up with the most amazing insights into life.

I met up with one of the teachers and we led the class (they walked in a "buddy" line) down a trail in the school forest. As we entered the trees, one cute little boy yelled to his teacher "Mrs. Ott, are there bears in here?"

We chuckled and the teacher replied that no, there were definitely not bears in the school forest.

"Do you think we might maybe see some deers?" he asked.

"Well, there might be deer in here," Mrs. Ott said. "But chances are we won't see them because we're a pretty loud group."

The cutie boy looked over his shoulder at the class walking behind him and yelled, "Hey guys! If you're really super duper quiet we'll see some deers. Teacher said!"

These kids cracked me up! We eventually found an open area that was shielded somewhat from the wind and the teacher gathered the students into a semi-circle around her as she got ready to unzip the mesh shelter the butterflies were in. She told the kids to be very still and quiet and maybe a butterfly would land on them.

Two butterflies promptly landed on this cute little boy named Jose. One sat on his shoulder and the other on his shoe. Mrs. Ott said to the class "Look how patient Jose is being, the butterflies really like him."

A little brunette girl, Maddie, piped up - "Yea, look at me I'm being real patient. Where's my butterfly?" (Smile.)

The students watched the butterflies as they lazily floated around the area for 20 or so minutes and I was able to get lots of cute pictures. At one point, a butterfly landed on little Dakota's hat.

"Didja see it!?" Dakota asked me excitedly.

I told him that yes, I had seen it but it didn't stay long enough for me to get a picture. He seemed a bit disappointed but was excited the butterfly had "chosen" him." On our walk back to the school, some of the kids really started warming up to me - including little Dakota.

"A butterfly landed on my hat," he told me again as he pointed to the spot on the brim of his hat.
"I know, I saw. You are a pretty lucky boy," I told him.
"Yeah," he said and smiled.

We walked for a minute in silence. Then, "One landed right here. Right in this bitty spot on my hat. That's cool huh?"

"It really is cool, Dakota. You'll have to remember to tell your Mommy and Daddy about that,"I said.
"I will! I will tell them about the butterfly and how it picked my head over all the other heads out there!" he exclaimed.

We got back to the school and the teacher and I started arranging the kids for a group photo. Since Dakota is one of the taller kids, I asked him to stand in the back row. He looked up at me from under the brim of his camouflage hat and said, "Yea but, remember how the butterfly landed on my hat? So that means I should be in the front, probably."

It took me about a minute to stop laughing and then I finally explained that he'd probably want to take his hat off so we could see his face in the picture. Of course, he had an answer for that one.

"Hmmmm. But you do know this is my lucky hat, right? So if I take it off, the butterfly might not know where to land!"

"This tickles!"

The cute kindergarten group with their butterfly shirts. There's my buddy Dakota in the second row, fourth from the right. Still wearing his hat. (Smile.)